MOIWA SKI RESORT

Moiwa is the hidden gem of Niseko, Japan’s famous skiing paradise. As Moiwa is situated slightly apart from Niseko’s four main resorts (Niseko United), it has the advantage of being quieter than the neighbouring slopes. This means you can enjoy the bountiful top-quality snow the area is famous for without the queues that usually come with it – ideal conditions for beginners perfecting their snow plow and those looking for fresh tracks in deep powder!

Moiwa is well known throughout Niseko as a ski resort with historical roots dating back as far as 1919. There weren’t any ski lifts at the time, and skiers would climb the mountain for hours because of the exceptional snow quality, abundant snowfall, and wide piste.

With just eight trails and three lifts, Moiwa is a small but sweet ski resort. There are two green trails suitable for beginners, three intermediate red runs, and three ungroomed black routes for advanced skiers and snowboarders. The longest course is the 2,000-meter red Sky Slope, which offers spectacular views of the surrounding scenery as you descend the mountain.

Although the trails are meticulously groomed, the main attraction of Moiwa is the snow and all those fresh tracks available off-piste. The in-bounds area of Moiwa provides lots of great lines through widely spaced trees. The patrollers are completely cool with riders heading off-piste, so you can pretty much go for it.

From the top of the quad chair head to skiers’ left and hit the steep glades near the Sky Slope and the Shirakaba Slope. The sidecountry out to the skiers’ right of the ski resort seems infinite. There are awesome secret powder stashes, but if we told you where they were they wouldn’t be a secret!